Watchcase



. July 12, 1938.

R. H. WHITEHEAD WATCHCASE Filed Dec. 10,1954

1%ENTOR. a Zufii Q. 1676*.

ATTORNEYS.

Patented July 12, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WATCHCASE Application December 10, 1934, Serial No. 756,744

2 Claims.

This invention relates to watchcases. It is an object of this invention to provide a watchcase of high quality which may be manufactured with a minimum of operations and which when com- 5 pleted will be strong and durable and proof against the entrance of dust and moisture.

It is a further object to provide a process for making a watchcase which will reduce the cost of manufacture to a minimum.

Other objects will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises an article of manufacture possessing the features, properties, and the relation of elements which will be exemplified. in the article hereinafter described and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the claims.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view from the rear of the front member of the case, the back member being removed and the crystal being omitted for clarity of illustration.

Figure 2 is a central cross section through the entire case.

Figure 3 is a transverse section in a partially assembled state of parts of the front member shown in Figure 1.

In the drawing the case comprises primarily a front member I and an outer member II and a rear member I2. The front member I0 is of size 35 and shape to receive the movement and the member II is adapted to fit over the exterior of the member ID. Each of the members II), II and I2 is in general of a cup shape to provide lateral walls I3, I4 and I5 and rear Walls I8, I? and I8 re- 40 spectively.

Wall l8 of the member I2 serves as the back casing of the Watch. The walls I6 and ll of the members ID and II are provided with openings I9 and 20, leaving laterally projecting flanges 2| and 22 surrounding the opening. One of these openings, as for example the opening I9 in member I0 is slightly smaller in size than the opening 20, so that the surrounding flange 2| upon the inner member II projects beyond the edge of the flange 22, thus offering a projecting edge to serve as a backing to receive the crystal 23.

The flanges 2| and 22 are slightly spaced from each other to receive the bevelled edge of the crystal, as will be seen from Figure 2.

The lateral wall I3 of the casing I I] extends upwardly beyond the wal1 I4 of the casing II to provide a projecting rim 24 to receive the casing I5 to hold the parts together and the lateral Wall I5 is preferably provided with an indentation 26 to fit within a recess in this projecting rim to hold the casing I8 in place.

A notch 27 is cut in the edges of all of the casings at an appropriate point to receive the winding stem of the movement.

Where the case is used as a wrist watch one of the casings, preferably the casing II, is provided upon each side with a longitudinal rib bar 28 which may be soldered or otherwise attached to the lateral walls of the casing near its upper edge and this bar projects beyond the edge of the casing I I at both ends to afford projecting lugs 29, which may receive the pins 30 which carry the strap. One of these bars on one side of the watch where the winding stem is placed, may be cut away as shown at 3| in order to permit the winding knob to fit close into the watch. This rib is preferably arranged to extend slightly beyond the edge of casing I2 so as to cover the joint between the casing I I and the casing I2.

From the foregoing it will be readily seen that this watch may be constructed by stamping out in succession the three cup shaped elements II], II and I2, forming the bars 28 and attaching them to the outer edge of the casing II. The casings I6 and I I are designed to be a forced fit, whereas the casing I2 is intended to fit on detachably. Thereafter the movement and crystal may be inserted in the usual manner.

This process of manufacture will materially reduce the cost while, at the same time, providing a casing which is of excellent appearance and which is substantially dust-proof.

Since certain changes in carrying out the above process and certain modifications in the article which embody the invention may be made without departing from its scope, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A watch case comprising an inner shell and an outer shell, each having an opening in the front face thereof surrounded by a flange, said flanges being parallel to form between them a groove to receive a crystal, said inner shell extending beyond the outer shell to form a contacting surface, a back portion fitting over said contacting surface, said shells being notched at the line of abutment to receive a stem, and reinforcing bars oppositely disposed on the periphery of said outer shell, in position to overlie said back portion and having strap attaching members at each end thereof.

2. A watch case comprising front and back outer shell members abutting together, said front member having reinforcing bars on its periphery and having a strap engaging means attached to said bars, said bars being attached to said front member and slidable over the rear member and said bars extending beyond the edge of the front shell member to cover the abutment between said members and an inner shell fitting within said outer shell member, said front member and said inner shell having parallel flanges forming between them a recess to receive a crystal and said inner shell extending within said back member to form a tight joint.

RICHARD H. WHITEHEAD. 

